Tim Rooney has been at the helm of the Westchester County Harness track for 37 years, since his family purchased the famed half-mile oval in 1972. Rooney will join his late father Art Rooney, who is enshrined in Canton as the founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers, as a Hall of Famer.

Tim Rooney has overseen a renaissance at Yonkers Raceway in the past several years, as Empire City Casino, the leading “racino” in the state, has boosted the state’s economy and harness racing purses. Though a Pittsburgh native, Rooney has become one of New York’s favorite sons, serving as Grand Marshall for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, entering the Westchester Hall of Fame, and being selected last year as the United States Harness Writers’ “Man of the Half Century.”